Author Archive: Charlie O'Mahoney

Just in time for half-term week, we now have copies of our updated and extended DVD in stock. ‘Building a Dream’ tells the story of how Nigel and Kay Bowman built their own railway here at Launceston, and the extended version includes new footage of Dorothea in steam and the trials of the Lynton and Barnstaple replica locomotive Lyd.

The DVD is available in our shop for £9.95, or we are happy to sell by mail order for £10.95 including UK postage, phone us on 01566 775665 to order.

After a busy main season, we are currently taking a few weeks off for maintenance work, but will reopen on Sunday 26th for the school half-term week.

Once again, we are teaming up with our local paper, the Cornish & Devon Post, to run one of our popular Locals’ Week special offers. If you live locally, don’t forget to pick up your copy of ‘The Post’ next week (edition published Thursday 23rd), as inside will be a voucher giving discounted fares for the whole of half-term week (Sunday 26th – Friday 31st).

We are also hosting the launch of a brand new book on Sunday 26th, looking back one hundred years to World War One. ‘Trains to the Trenches’, by local author Andrew Roden, tells the story of the men, locomotives and tracks that took the world to war, including the hundreds of miles of narrow gauge railways which were built to serve the trenches. Appropriately our carriages have all been built using parts of wagons from the World War One trench railways, and much of our original track was recovered from the Royal Navy Armaments Depot at Ernesettle in Plymouth.

Trains have been running six days a week from the beginning of July, with all four of our locomotives in use hauling trains. Lilian and Covertcoat have been the main locomotives in use, but Velinheli and Dorothea have normally been steamed at least once a week.

In July our latest load of coal arrived; one lorry load of approximately 20 tons will last us just over one year. For the last few years we have been burning Russian coal; despite the fact coal is available from Wales, the cost is approximately the same, and we have found the Russian coal has slightly better characteristics for the work we require our locomotives to do. Unfortunately the latest load of Russian coal has proved to be radically different to the last few loads we have had, resulting in relatively poor steaming in three of our Hunslet locomotives (Covertcoat proved to be the odd one out and has generally steamed well on this coal). Throughout the summer we have been trying different techniques of firing and making modifications to the Hunslets to improve their steaming on this batch of coal. For example, Lilian has been trialled with different diameter blast nozzles in her smokebox and has now been fitted with a new grate in her firebox; her ‘original’ grate was approximately 70% firebars and 30% airgaps between the bars, whilst her new grate is a copy of Covertcoat’s grate and has a firebar to air gap ratio of 50:50. The new grate has improved Lilian’s performance and returned her to being the ‘steady old lady’ our drivers know her to be.

Early summer saw some clearance work of lineside trees around Launceston, and this winter we plan to clear a large amount of the younger trees all the way along the line. To speed the clearance process up, we are currently building an attachment for our digger which can grab, cut and remove smaller trees – although these attachments can be bought, they cost several thousand pounds and we have found we have many of the parts needed to make one already!

To be involved with a railway like ours you need a passion for steam locomotives, and this is certainly the case for James Evans, the owner of ‘Velinheli’. However James has another passion which is now the subject of a book – Cornish Apples!

In 1980, James and his wife Mary Martin discovered an old cider press in their native Tamar Valley, and restored it to working order. Fired with enthusiasm to produce cider traditionally from Tamar apples, James and Mary embarked on a mission to find these local varieties such as the ‘Pig’s Snout’ and ‘Colloggett Pippin’. With the orchards that the Tamar Valley had been famous for having all but vanished by this time, and recognising that many of the local species of apple trees would become extinct unless rescued, they established their own orchard in which rescued varieties of tree – not only apple but also cherry, plum and pear – could be nurtured and catalogued.

Today their orchard contains around 200 varieties of fruit trees saved from around Cornwall and West Devon. Recognising that their collection needed a permanent, public home, James and Mary have also assisted with the establishment of an orchard at the National Trust property Cothele, which contains over 100 varieties of the apple trees they have saved. We also have several apple trees at the railway which are varieties from James and Mary’s collection; these include the ‘Bowman’s Beauty’ (a unique variety which was found alongside the railway, named after the LSR’s owners) and the ‘Mary Martin’ (a variety bred by James to give the best characteristics of two separate varieties – no prizes for guessing where James got the name from!).

As a record of over three decades of work, James and Mary have now published a book ‘A Cornish Pomona, a selection of West Country apple varieties’. The book details and illustrates over 170 varieties of West Country apples, with snippets of local history. The book will be available in our shop for £7.50 early next week, or can be bought online here for £10.00 including postage.

If you have taken a ride along the railway you may have spotted some of the wildlife which shares the valley with us, such as the resident buzzards or heron. However, most commonly seen are rabbits – and thanks to our good friend and children’s author Georgie Adams, who lives overlooking the valley and the railway, the rabbits have their own book series – ‘The Railway Rabbits’.

On Monday 11th August, Georgie Adams will be at Waterstones in Truro, reading from and signing books in the series. There will also be a colouring competition to win a family ticket for the LSR! So if you’re in the area, drop in and find out more about the escapades of the Railway Rabbits; however, we also stock the books in our shop if you can’t make it to Truro!

16th August 2014

Congratulations to George and Ebony, who were the succesful winners of The Railway Rabbits colouring competition – we hope they enjoy their free family ticket!

Following a succesful Locals’ Week and then half term week at the end of May, we have settled into our usual June pattern of opening 3 days a week – the days off coupled with the glorious weather we have had recently in Cornwall allow us to complete some of the outdoor maintenance jobs which were not completed in the very wet winter, ensuring we are ready for the peak Summer season from this Sunday.

Although we can’t undertake major maintenance on the track when we are running, our ‘permanent way gang’ can often be seen out and about checking the track, and carrying out minor work such as fishplate greasing. One of the recent tasks, as seen in the photograph below, was to change sleepers on one of the points in the yard.

Dorothea has now been lined out by our resident lining guru Jonathan Mann. Her elegant lining is a little different to that applied to locomotives in the other slate quarries of North Wales, however extensive research by late railway enthusiast Colin Pealling concluded this was the livery worn by Dorothea when she was operated at Dorothea Quarry.

On Sunday 15th June we held a succesful ‘Railway Day’ as part of the town’s Charles Causley Festival; several authors came to visit to give talks and sign copies of their books. The following Sunday (22nd) visitors were treated to the sight of three locomotives in steam: Lilian, Velinheli and Dorothea. The three were in steam in order for an update to be filmed for the very popular DVD which we sell in our shop. Our under construction diesel railcar was also out during the day for a test run for the DVD.

After a succesful few weeks opening at Easter, we have had a few weeks off to finish our track relaying project. This involved taking the 40lb/yd rail which we had taken up at Newmills a little down the line towards Launceston, and using it to replace some lighter 30lb/yd rail. The relaying is now complete, meaning the lightest rail in use is now 35lb/yd.

At Easter the quirky vertical boilered locomotive Perseverance had his annual boiler inspection. Happily ‘Percy’ passed with flying colours and is ready for another 12 months work; although too small to haul our passenger trains, Perseverance is occasionally steamed up in our yard and also makes visits to other railways.

We currently have an experimental petrol electric locomotive visiting us for trials from a private railway. Fitted with a restored Austin 10 engine, the locomotive has a few areas which trial runs have shown could be improved, and so it is likely to have some work on it whilst it is here.

Covertcoat’s regulator has had a slight leak for a while, and so has been removed for repair. Her regulator valve is actually a modern ball valve which we fitted a few years ago – the valve has now been dismantled for fitting new seals. Removal of the valve also gives the opportunity to inspect part of the inside of Covertcoat’s boiler, which we built new here (although incorporating a small amount of her original boiler) seven years ago. Fortunately the inside of her boiler appears to be in good condition with minimal corrosion – a full inspection will be carried out when she is retubed in a few years time.

Over the winter we have had a few projects on the go to make sure the railway is in good condition for the 2014 season.

The poor weather in January and February highlighted a few areas along the railway where drainage channels and culverts along the railway had become blocked, particularly on the stretch of line around Canna Park. Not only have we ensured the culverts are unblocked, but the drainage channels have been cleared and in some cases enlarged.

Work has also progressed on our experimental diesel electric railcar, with the final driver’s controls now nearing completion.

Part of the track just before Newmills station has also been relayed this winter, with ex. Dean Hill 50lb/yd rail replacing the 40lb/yd rail previously laid on that stretch of track. The 40lb/yd rail, however, will now be cascaded down the line and used to replace some lighter 30lb/yd rail which is laid near Launceston – this further relaying is currently planned to be completed in May.

With the track reconnected at Newmills, we can now start getting ready for the season to begin again, in a little over a week’s time on Sunday 13th April.

The steam locomotive is loved by enthusiasts and irresistible to holiday makers, but it is generally less than ten percent efficient, and also labour intensive in daily preparation and routine maintenance: however it can be repaired almost indefinitely and seldom fails in traffic. Engineers working with steam locomotives in several countries are using modern technology and materials to improve its less good features, enhancing its overall financial performance and prolonging the ‘age of steam’.

James Evans, owner of Hunslet locomotive ‘Velinheli’ which is based at Launceston, has been developing a state-of-the-art ‘Super-Fairlie’ proposal, specifically for the Welsh Highland Railway and taking the long view on sustainability. Unfortunately the proposal has been rejected by the Board of the Ffestiniog and Welsh Highland Railways at a recent meeting as “a dream too far”; the Company being focused on raising funds to complete the existing infrastructure, and believing that a brand new locomotive project would detract from their commitment to create a sustainable railway. James felt that an imaginative project of this nature would have been complementary, and widen interest in Welsh Highland ‘news’.

However, the project has been sanctioned to continue independently, and the Welsh Highland Railway would accept a fully functioning addition to its motive power roster once any teething troubles have been sorted, (and of course subject to acceptance by the various engineering and regulatory authorities); which is some encouragement!

Although disappointed by the response of the F & WHR Board, James is reminded that over thirty years ago he was told by the experts that his proposal to build a new Lynton and Barnstaple locomotive would be both “impossible” and “not financially viable”; even members of the L & B Association thought it was a ‘dream too far’ at that time! With LYD now in service and her insides modernized within the constraints of being a ‘replica’, she appears to be rather more powerful than her forebears and hopefully she will be viable in the long term.

James has been involved with renewable energy, conservation and low-carbon living since the 1960’s: he was brought up on a self sufficient farm where even the electricity was home made, plentiful and virtually free. With his passion for steam he would like to see the cleanest most economical steam locomotive built for the WHR; sustainable steam traction for a sustainable railway. Calculations show that a smaller locomotive with maximum power to weight ratio and 100% adhesion, like a Ffestiniog double Fairlie, would have the same haulage ability as a Garratt and save 15% in fuel consumption. Centralized lubrication, easy cleaning and accessibility of working parts, plus use of the best modern materials would reduce both paid and volunteer labour. In designing a new locomotive to fulfill the exact requirements of the Welsh Highland Railway the opportunity would be taken to add several safety features and minimize emissions.

LYD only turned from a ‘pipe dream’ into reality as a result of a team effort managed by Paul Lewin, now General Manager of the Ffestiniog and Welsh Highland Railways, and this new proposal will only turn a wheel if a similar team can be assembled. Only twenty five years ago the thought that trains might run through the Aberglaslyn pass once again, and sometimes hauled by a Lynton and Barnstaple type of locomotive, was considered “a dream too far” even by the most sanguine enthusiasts!

So, James would love to hear from YOU if you have expertise in project management, fund raising, public relations and of course engineering, OR if you can suggest people who might be willing to help. A deep knowledge of steam railways is NOT essential, James’ enthusiasm should be sufficient! Initial contact can be made by email to steamax@phonecoop.coop.

The first 10% of the funding for the design and construction of the ‘Super-Fairlie’ is in place, and the formation of a charitable trust for the project is being investigated. An updated outline specification can be viewed here and fuller details will be posted at a future date if there is sufficient interest.

Although normally closed over the winter, to celebrate 30 years since we first opened on Boxing Day 1983 we ran trains for a few afternoons between Christmas and New Year. Many friends and visitors came along for the opportunity to help celebrate 30 years of steam in the Kensey Valley and as something to do between Christmas and New Year, a week which often seems quite ‘dead’!

On Boxing Day our first locomotive, Lilian, was in steam. The first train 30 years ago was at 2pm with just Lilian and one carriage, and ran to the original end of the railway, ½ mile from Launceston. 30 years on we recreated this train, with the original locomotive, carriage, driver and some original passengers! The current Mayor of Launceston, Dave Gordon, and the Mayor of Launceston from 30 years ago, Arthur Wills, were both in attendance to help us celebrate.

Having run Lilian on Boxing Day, Covertcoat and Dorothea were used to run trains for the remaining three days of operation. Our fourth Hunslet locomotive, Velinheli, is currently winterised and undergoing some work on her injector pipework and filters.

Below can be seen a number of photographs and video from the four days. Looking forward to 2014 we will be reopening just before Easter, and full details of our 2014 times & fares will be available on this website soon.

Lilian runs round at Newmills on Boxing Day 2013, former mayor Arthur Wills on board. Photo by John Conway.

Dorothea and Covertcoat build up a good head of steam for the last train of the day

Dorothea and Covertcoat at Newmills

A champagne toast to celebrate 30 years of the LSR! From left to right: Arthur Wills (Launceston Mayor 1983), Carole and Dave Gordon (Mayoress and Mayor of Launceston 2013), Kay and Nigel Bowman (LSR owners). Photo by Alan Palmer